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Jurgen Klopp has been given the green light to bring Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt to Liverpool this summer.

What’s the news?

That’s according to Italian news outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Liverpool Echo), which claimed that the Reds are ready to pounce for the 22-year-old, who has handed in a transfer request and will not return to the Serie A club following a meeting.

His contract will expire in 2024 and any move will likely involve a big fee, with Klopp looking at partnering De Ligt with compatriot Virgil van Dijk at centre-back for Liverpool.

An offer of around €70m (£60m) should be enough to spark negotiations as the Merseysiders face a battle with Manchester United and Chelsea over the defender.

Klopp given green light for “unreal signing”

Liverpool have already added three new faces to their squad in a busy first few weeks of the summer transfer window. Deals for Fabio Carvalho, Calvin Ramsay and a club-record £85m swoop for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez have given Kopites some cheer since last month’s Champions League final defeat.

However, A move for de Ligt could prove to be the best of the lot, despite the Anfield club being well-stocked with top-class centre-backs.

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The Dutchman is a top-quality prospect, with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher once lauding him as “unbelievable”, while De Ligt was also described as an “unreal signing” for any Premier League club by journalist Chris Stonadge.

The 22-year-old achieved a rating of 7.07 on SofaScore for his performances in Serie A last season, while having an impressive 89% pass success rate and making 1.1 tackles and 3.1 clearances per match.

De Ligt was only dribbled past 0.1 times per match and won 63% of his aerial duels, proving that his all-around defensive ability is thoroughly impressive.

With the success that the Liverpool defence had last season – conceding a joint-league low 26 goals – they don’t urgently need the Dutchman, but Klopp could form an incredible backline with his addition to the Anfield ranks.

AND in other news, Klopp now plotting LFC bid for “unpredictable” £33m target, just imagine him & Diaz

Sunderland have been dealt a possible transfer blow in their pursuit of Troy Parrott as the striker confirmed that he wants to fight for his place at Tottenham this summer.

The Lowdown: Sunderland make official enquiry

The 20-year-old has completed multiple loan spells over the years in a bid to rack up some much-needed first-team experience and game time having not been involved in the action for the Lilywhites. And his impressive form at MK Dons last season seems to have caught the eye of a few potential suitors, including the Black Cats.

It has recently been reported that the Stadium of Light hierarchy have made an official enquiry about the forward’s availability, with Alex Neil very keen to secure the youngster’s signature, but any chances of the boss bringing his target to the Championship now look very slim.

The Latest: Parrott reveals his intentions

As quoted by The Northern Echo, Parrott has revealed during an interview that he wants to impress Antonio Conte in pre-season and show Tottenham what he’s capable of. He said:

“I can’t control what goes on there (with Spurs). That’s out of my hands. All I can do is try to impress whoever is there, and that’s what I fully intend doing when I go back there for pre-season.

“After two disappointing loans (at Millwall and Ipswich), it’s fair to say that things are looking up for me and I am on a bit of an upward trajectory. I just need to keep that going, keep improving, and keep giving it my all.

“Going on loan is for playing men’s football and realising what you have to do throughout a game, and I think I have matured a lot over the three loans that I’ve had. I’m just happy that it’s starting to click.”

The Verdict: A hammer blow?

Having just gained promotion back to the second tier after a four-year absence, Neil will be hoping to make some new additions to his squad in the coming weeks as the club prepares to make the step up, but it certainly sounds like Parrott wants to halt his spree of temporary moves.

The Irishman was scintillating in the final third at Stadium MK throughout 2021/22, netting ten goals and providing seven assists across all competitions, via Transfermarkt, with this kind of form being precisely the profile of player that the Black Cats would want in their starting XI.

Sunderland will report back for pre-season duty as they get ready to begin an exciting new era, but whether they will be successful in their mission to find a new striker in time for the beginning of August yet remains to be seen.

Leeds United had one of the shakiest defences in the Premier League last season as the Whites conceded 79 goals across their 38 games.

This only left Norwich City with a worse defensive record throughout the campaign, which saw the Canaries go down with a whimper and Leeds scrape top-flight safety on the final day.

One reason for this poor defensive record could be down to the absence of captain Liam Cooper in the team for a significant length of time. In fact, Leeds lost 12 of the 17 Premier League games that the Scotsman missed, whereas they were beaten on only six of the 21 matches in which he did feature.

Despite Cooper’s clear importance to the team at the back, the Whites and Jesse March could use the current transfer window to find a suitable long-term replacement for the 30-year-old.

One man with whom the Whites have been linked recently and who could fit this particular bill is Burnley defender Nathan Collins.

After working his way through Stoke City’s youth ranks and making 47 appearances for their first team, the 21-year-old joined Burnley last summer.

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Throughout his debut season at Turf Moor, the Irishman made 19 league appearances for the Clarets, in which he won 23 tackles and made 37 interceptions, 48 blocks and 102 clearances, as per FBRef.

To compare that with the 21 league games in which Cooper featured for Leeds, he won 18 tackles and made 40 interceptions, 32 blocks and 117 clearances, as per FBRef.

Labelled a “brick wall” by Jamie O’Hara, Collins has also made his mark in front of goal, particularly when he scored what was described by his national team boss Stephen Kenny as a “sublime” goal for the Republic of Ireland earlier this month.

With a reported price tag of £25m, this could be an investment worth making for Leeds given how poor their defence was last season.

Also, given the age difference between the Burnley youngster and Cooper, he could be the perfect long-term replacement for the Scotland international whenever the 30-year-old decides to call an end to his time at Elland Road.

If the Clarets are willing to cash in on the young defender this summer, the Whites should definitely be in the mix to bring him back to the Premier League.

In other news: Leeds in the mix to sign £19.8m-rated “pure talent”, Marsch would love him

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic are now ‘back in the frame’ for Manchester City defender Ko Itakura and could look for a loan-to-buy deal.

The Lowdown: Itakura profiled

The 25-year-old first joined the Sky Blues from Kawasaki Frontale back in January 2019, being loaned straight back out to FC Groningen and most recently returning to England from a season out at Schalke.

It was recently reported by the Daily Record that Hoffenheim are getting set to make a move for the centre-back after being impressed by what they saw from him last term.

The Japanese defender’s contract with City is set to expire in 2023, giving the player time to weigh up his options, and the Hoops could now be set to hijack Hoffenheim’s bid and bring him to the Scottish Premiership.

The Latest: Long-term admirers

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Joseph revealed that Celtic have been long-time admirers of Itakura and admitted that this wouldn’t be the first time they have tried to sign him. He said:

“Itakura is someone they’ve been tracking for quite some time and they wanted him in last season, actually, but he chose to go on loan to Schalke, and Celtic are back in the frame for him because Schalke weren’t able to pay the €6m option to buy. Celtic might look to do a loan with an option to buy there.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Last year, Itakura made 31 appearances in the German second tier and helped Schalke gain promotion back to the Bundesliga, and his performances clearly didn’t go unnoticed by Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian boss has recently secured the permanent signing of Cameron Carter-Vickers but must want to bolster his ranks further with another new addition at the heart of the backline, and the 12-cap international doesn’t appear to be a bad option to partner the former Spurs man.

Celtic might have a bit of digging their heels to do if they want to fend off their strong competitors abroad, but the opportunity to play Champions League football next season might just prove to be too good of an opportunity for Itakura to turn down.

In other news… a Sky Sports reporter has delivered a huge update on Postecoglou’s Celtic future.

The Athletic’s Rangers correspondent Jordan Campbell has shared an update on Borna Barisic and his current situation at Ibrox after it was reported that he was attracting interest from abroad.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on Twitter, the journalist revealed that the 29-year-old is attracting interest from clubs on the continent, with the potential of significant wages being offered to the defender.

Campbell tweeted: “European teams interested in Borna Barisic, including Trabzonspor, which Turkish media have reported. The 29yo Croatian int still has two years on his deal. Big wages will be on offer but Rangers will demand a substantial fee if he is to leave. No club-to-club contact so far.”

The journalist then followed up with another tweet on the situation, stating: “This is not to say that Barisic will definitely leave this summer. It’s a possibility if the right bid comes in and it’s the right challenge for him but that’s probably unlikely to be Turkey right now.”

Fans will be livid

Rangers signed the defender from NK Osijek in 2018 on a four-year deal worth a reported £2.2m. Since then, the Croatian has gone on to make 155 appearances for the Light Blues across all competitions, scoring seven goals and delivering an impressive 35 assists along the way.

Despite only playing 23 league games this season, the 29-year-old still posted the second-highest number of crosses (158) and won the third-highest number of tackles (33) out of anyone in Rangers’ squad. This highlights just how important a figure he is for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team in an attacking and defensive sense and why he’d be a big miss for them if he were to leave this summer.

With fellow Rangers defender Calvin Bassey also being linked with a move away from Ibrox this summer, having him and Barisic both potentially waving goodbye to the club in the same transfer window would surely have lots of supporters fuming.

Even though Campbell said that the Gers would consider selling the Croatian if a significant offer comes in, we feel that they shouldn’t let him leave this summer unless they have a suitable replacement for him to come straight into Ibrox.

In other news: Rangers now plotting bid for “clinical” £5.4m-rated sensation, he’d be a dream for Van Bronckhorst

Celtic have been linked with a move for midfielder Connor Barron ahead of the upcoming summer window as Ange Postecoglou look to bolster his ranks at Parkhead.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from the Scottish Daily Express, the Hoops sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old during Scotland’s U21s clash against Belgium.

The report also added that “Ange Postecoglou and his scouting team have been impressed with Barron throughout the season.”

Celtic’s next Scott Brown

As a product of Aberdeen’s youth ranks, the midfielder has now made 15 senior appearances for the club after completing loan deals with Kelty Hearts and Brechin City.

With 13 appearances in League Two under his belt with Kelty, the teenager scored one goal and provided two assists before returning to his parent club in January and seeing out the remainder of the season with them.

In those appearances, the youngster won 15 tackles, made 15 interceptions and delivered 59 crosses in the process, highlighting how capable he is on and off the ball.

Back in March, Jim Goodwin had this to say about the young talent: “Connor is a very good player with great potential. He has so much to learn and improve on which he knows and he is not getting above his station at all.

“He has been a breath of fresh air since I came in. You talk about bravery and courage, the wee man has it in abundance.

“He demands the ball from the centre halves, in tight areas he wants to play out of trouble and that takes courage.”

Celtic said goodbye to club legend Scott Brown last summer after 14 years of service and Barron could well be seen as a potential long-term replacement for the Hoops veteran after he left to join Aberdeen during the previous summer transfer window.

Having shared the pitch with the former Celtic midfielder at Aberdeen this season, Barron will have certainly learnt a lot from having a figure like Brown around him in the dressing room.

While he would certainly have some big shoes to fill as Brown’s potential long-term replacement at Parkhead given the legacy the 36-year-old has at the club, the youngster definitely has the talent and time ahead of him to become a solid first-team option for Postecoglou.

After all, as Goodwin eludes to, he has the bravery that made Brown such a hit in Glasgow.

In other news: Deal close: Big transfer update emerges that’ll have many Celtic supporters buzzing

Manchester United have reportedly made contact with Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili ahead of a potential move.

The Lowdown: Mamardashvili profiled

Mamardashvili stands at 6 foot 4 and only made a permanent move to Valencia back in January. He signed from Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi in a deal worth just £765,000.

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Since then, the 21-year-old has gone on to make 21 appearances for the Spanish side, keeping nine clean sheets and conceding 22 times.

The Georgia international only penned a deal through to 2024 with Valencia and reportedly has a release clause set at €20m (£17m).

The Latest: United phone call

Sports Witness relayed an update from Spanish outlet AS regarding Mamardashvili on Wednesday.

They claimed that Valencia are already working on extending the goalkeeper’s contract which would raise his release clause from €20m (£17m) to €30m (£25.5m).

The report name-checks United with an interest in Mamardashvili, who has now ‘received a call’ from the Red Devils, presumably chief executive Richard Arnold, over a possible move.

The Verdict: Henderson replacement?

It looks as if Dean Henderson could be on his way out of Old Trafford, with a move to Newcastle thought to be close.

Therefore, should the 25-year-old leave this summer, Erik ten Hag could be left with just Tom Heaton as back up to David de Gea.

On that basis, activating Mamardashvili’s £17m release clause could be an extremely smart move to provide competition to De Gea and in the long run.

The Spaniard will turn 32 in November, so United may soon have to think about his long-term replacement, and that could be Mamardashvili, providing he is willing to play second choice to begin with under Ten Hag.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals Man Utd & Ten Hag eyeing another Dutch gem along with De Jong and Timber. 

Tottenham have been boosted in their quest to sign Ivan Perisic, with Inter Milan chief Giuseppe Marotta admitting he is heading to the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Perisic strongly linked with move

Antonio Conte has plenty of money to spend after Spurs’ Champions League qualification, with a number of new signings expected in the summer.

Perisic is the player most strongly linked with a move to north London, as he looks for a new challenge away from Inter ahead of next season.

It looks increasingly likely that the winger will be heading to Spurs – Fabrizio Romano has already given his trademark ‘here we go’ – and a fresh update has further suggested that that will be the case.

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The Latest: Inter chief admits defeat

Speaking to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], Marotta confirmed that Perisic is heading to north London and Inter are already seeking replacements:

“There is regret, but he wanted to try a new experience in the Premier League. We weren’t in a position to present better offers, his choice was simply based on a different future than the current one.

“Maximum respect for this and also a big thank you. We will find the right replacement and, in any case, we have already taken Robin Gosens.”

The Verdict: Surely a matter of time?

This update surely means that Perisic is a Spurs player incoming and it has the potential to be a very exciting signing this summer.

The Croatian legend has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by Jose Mourinho and has a mammoth 113 caps for his country, highlighting his pedigree as a footballer.

At 33, Perisic may not be coming in as a guaranteed starter every week but he could be a great squad player, giving Conte more options in the final third and at wing-back.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a Tottenham transfer claim. Read more here.

Everton journalist Chris Smith has revealed that the Goodison Park club are now ‘willing to entertain offers’ for as many as seven players this summer.

The Lowdown: Disappointing season

Despite surviving relegation from the Premier League, it was ultimately a disappointing season for the Merseysiders, who will not want to find themselves in the same position next year.

There will inevitably be question marks over some members of the squad, while Frank Lampard will now want to put his own stamp on it, given the funds that he’ll have available to spend.

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The Latest: Seven players axed?

Taking to Twitter, 90min reporter Smith has revealed that up to seven players from the first-team squad could now be axed by Everton, although not all of them will end up leaving.

He outlined: “Allan, Michael Keane, Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Andros Townsend and Salomon Rondon are all players #Everton are willing to entertain offers for this summer, I’m told per source. Obviously not all will go as squad depth is needed.”

The Verdict: Overhaul needed

Ultimately, Everton’s squad needs a major overhaul after ending up in a relegation battle, and getting rid of some of the fringe players would help in that regard.

Of the seven players mentioned by Smith, only Keane and Townsend feature in the Toffees’ 10 best performers in the 2021/22 Premier League as per WhoScored, despite the ex-Burnley defender frequently being criticised for some of his performances.

Nonetheless, selling even a few of those will help to raise vital funds for Lampard to go out and strengthen in other areas of the pitch, which the Blues will certainly need to do in order to help climb up the table next season.

In other news, find out who EFC are now ‘at the front of the queue’ to sign here!

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold of football.london has now shared a ‘big’ transfer update involving Man City star Gabriel Jesus.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes new striker…

Spurs boss Antonio Conte, currently relying on Harry Kane as his only world class out-and-out striker option, is looking to fix that hole in the Lilywhites squad.

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The Times say a new forward is on the agenda at Hotspur Way as Conte eyes at least six major summer signings – with there being no shortage of links to Europe’s finest.

The Premier League top-four chasers have even been linked with the likes of Victor Osimhen (Napoli) and Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) despite their potentially marquee price tags.

Conte and transfer chief Fabio Paratici have seemingly drawn up a list of prestigious targets for the forward area as news now surfaces involving Man City striker Jesus.

The Latest: Gold shares ‘big’ update involving Jesus…

The ever-reliable Gold, sharing a ‘big’ update on Tottenham’s transfer activity in the last 48 hours, now claims Conte and the club are ‘admire’ City’s bright attacker who has shone under Pep Guardiola recently (football.london).

Indeed, as the Lilywhites eye a possible move for Jesus, football.london also claim that he is ‘expected to leave’ the English champions this summer.

The Verdict: Make a move?

ESPN recently claimed City have slapped a £55 million price tag on the Brazil international’s head,  an arguable bargain fee given his obvious ability and age.

Still with plenty of years ahead in his career, Jesus has been on fire in recent weeks, racking up six goals and one assist in his last six league starts for Guardiola’s title-chasers.

Over 158 top flight appearances, the 25-year-old’s 58 goals and 32 assists back how he’s already proven in England with pundit Steve McManaman even raving over the ‘superstar’ for his recent Sky Blue form.

Taking all of this into account, it’s little wonder Conte and co have taken an interest.

In other news: Paratici now eyeing ‘world class’ player move tipped to ‘excite’ Spurs supporters! Find out more here.